About Project
		Agroclimatic Information
		Infrastructure Facilities
		Mandate
		Scientists
		Research Activities and Achievements
		Research and Extension Linkage
		Publications
		Contact Information

About Project

The intensive cultivation of high yielding modern crop varieties, in the past few decades’ increased the crop productivity. However, this has resulted into emergence of micro and secondary nutrients deficiency in most of the soils, causing reduction in yields. In order to delineate the micro and secondary nutrient deficient areas and to alleviate the nutrition stresses, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research initiated the All India Coordinated Scheme of Micronutrient in Soil and Plants in 1967.

There are sixteen cooperative and five voluntary centers of this project in the country. A centre for Maharashtra state was initiated at Dr. PDKV, Akola in 1996.

The deficiencies of secondary and micronutrients and toxicities of heavy metal elements were subsequently noticed in many parts of the country. In view of this, the project mandate was expanded. The name of the project was modified to All India Coordinated Project of Micro and Secondary Nutrients and Pollutant Elements in Soils and Plants.

The Coordinating unit is functioning at Indian Institute of Soil Science, Bhopal. The centre at Lucknow is involved mainly in physiological research on micronutrient nutrition of plants while the remaining 19 centres concentrate their researches on the micro and secondary nutrient and pollutant elements in soils and plants.

Jurisdiction of the project

Maharashtra State represents four major regions viz; Vidarbha, Marathawada, Western Maharashtra and Konkan and there are four agricultural universities in these regions. Indian Council of Agricultural Research, has given the centre of “All India Coordinated Research Project on Micro and Secondary Nutrients and Pollutant Elements in Soils and Plants” at Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola to carry out the research work  on micro, secondary and pollutant elements in soils and plants in the Maharashtra state.

Faculty Information:

Dr. R. N. Katkar, Professor and Incharge

Dr. S. S. Hadole, Junior Soil Scientist

Shri. P. R. Deshmukh, Agril. Assistant

Shri. P. K. Chavan, Lab Attendant

Shri. S. R. Lakhe, Research Associate

Agro Climatic Conditions

The state has humid to per humid type climate in Konkan and western ghats, semiarid type in central and western Maharashtra, while sub-humid type in eastern part of the state. The annual rainfall in the state varies from 450 mm in the rain shadow area to 6000 mm in western ghats of which 80 per cent is received from June to September. Konkan and western ghat region has a water surplus limited to June to October with growing period of more than 210 days. While rain shadow areas of western and central Maharashtra have very few months of water surplus with growing period of 90 to 150 days. In eastern part of the state, the growing period ranges from 150 to 180 days. The state is divided into six agro – eco regions which in turn are sub divided in to twelve agro – ecological sub regions.

Soils
The geological formations in the state include Deccan trap, Lameta beds, Gondwanas and Vindhyan system. Physiographically, the state is divided in to three broad regions viz, western Konkan coast, Western Ghats and North Deccan plateau. The soils occurring on each landform are characterized during the soil resource mapping of the state. Taxonomically the soils of Maharashtra are categorized into five soil orders namely Entisols (36.71 %), Inceptisols (30.9 %), Vertisols (26.3 %), Alfisols (5.6 %) and Mollisols (0.1 %) which are sub divided into 8 sub orders, 9 great groups, 19 subgroups and 356 family associations.

Problems in micro and secondary nutrients

Deficiencies of micronutrients drastically influence the growth, metabolism and reproduction phase in plants, animals and human beings. Widespread deficiencies of some micronutrients have been observed in the soil.

The high yielding varieties/hybrids of cereals, oilseed, pulses, cotton, sugarcane, vegetable and horticultural crops etc grown since 4-5 decades using chemical fertilizers without or less supplementation with organic manure led to deficiency of micro (Zn, Fe, B,) and secondary nutrients (S) in the soil. Besides this, higher crop yields which increase plant nutrient demands, use of high analysis NPK fertilizers, reduced use of organic manures on many agricultural soils and imbalance use of major nutrients are some of the reasons for micronutrient deficiencies. This has resulted into decreased nutrient use efficiency of major nutrients (N, P and K).

For sustaining the crop productivity, increasing nutrient use efficiency and maintaining soil quality in long run judicious use of micronutrients through organic manures is the urgent need of time.

Infrastructure Facilities

Laboratory of AICRP on Micro and Secondary Nutrients and Pollutant Elements in Soils and Plants

• Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer

Advanced Atomic Absorption Spectrometer with Graphite Furnace and Hydride Generator

Analysis work on Advanced Atomic Absorption Spectrometer on flame technique

Analysis work on Advanced Atomic Absorption Spectrometer on graphite furnace technique

Analysis work on Advanced Atomic Absorption Spectrometer on hydride generator technique

Visit of Accreditation team

Visit of Accreditation team

• PC based UV – VIS spectrophotometer
• KEL PLUS Automatic Nitrogen / Protein Estimation System and Scrubber System

• Orbital Shaking Incubator

• Muffle furnace
• Oven
• Analytical electronic balance
• pH meter

• EC and TDS meter

• Double Distillation Water Unit
• Quartz Double Distillation Water Unit for Boron
• Hot plate
• Hot Water bath

Mandate

• Reassessment of micro and secondary nutrients (MSN) deficient/toxic areas by soil and plant analysis as well as through biological responses of crop in different soils.
• Micro and secondary nutrient indexing for forecasting emerging micro and secondary nutrients disorders and developing decision support system under different soil- cropping- management systems.
• Standardize suitable soil test methods and establish critical levels for micro and secondary nutrients and heavy metal toxicities in different soils and crops.
• Developing suitable technique for increasing nutrient use efficiency including organic manures, sewage and sludge added for ameliorating the MSN deficiencies in crops and soils.
• Monitoring heavy metal pollution and trace element toxicities in soils, plant and animal health.
• Identification of deficiency/toxicity symptoms for diagnosing micro and secondary nutrient deficiencies in field crops.
• Effect of phasing of Zn and B application on fate of Zn and B pools in different soils and cropping systems.
• Identifying mechanism of micronutrient interactions in soils and their role in reproductive physiology of plants.
• Screening of crop species and genotypes tolerant to micronutrient stress and heavy metal toxicities.
• Delineation of micro and secondary nutrient deficient areas using GPS/GIS in acid soils of humid and subhumid regions and alkaline alluvium soils of arid and semi arid regions in the states so far remained uncovered.

Research Activities and Achievements

Achievements

Percent samples deficient (PSD) of soil in secondary and micro nutrients in Vidarbha, Marathwada and Konkan region.

Sulphur Deficiency

Zinc Deficiency

Boron Deficiency

 Recommendations 

(Source : Dr. PDKV, Akola, MPKV, Rahuri, VNMKV, Parbhani and Dr. BSKKV, Dapoli)

Research and Extension Linkage

a. Front line demonstrations

Several FLD’s were conducted on farmers field located in different districts of Maharashtra with the objectives

1. To disseminate the technologies on micronutrients among the farmers
2. To educate them about application of micro and secondary nutrients to crops on deficient soils .

The crops grown were paddy, cotton, maize, soybean, wheat, chickpea and millets.

The highest response of soil application of zinc was noticed in paddy and maize on Zn deficient soils. The response of Zn application on deficient soils was higher as compared to marginal soils.

Table: Crop response to S, Zn and Fe application  (Field studies on farmers’ fields)

Table : Year and location wise number of FLDs conducted on different crops

b. Field days organized

The field days were organized on the farmers field to disseminate the knowledge and importance of micro and secondary nutrients among the farming community. The demonstrations were also visited by the farmers.

c. Distributed Soil Health Cards to Farmers

Soil health cards distributed to tribal farmers in Chandpur, Teh:Chikhaldara, Dist: Amravati and to the FLD farmers.

d.Micronutrient fertilizers distributed (Zinc sulphate) to the tribal farmers in villages of tribal areas of Amravati and Yavatmal districts

e. Farmers training organized

The farmers training at university and farm level / village level were also conducted.

f. National Workshop organized

Organized 27^th National Workshop of All India Coordinated Research Project on Micro and Secondary Nutrients and Pollutant Elements in Soils and Plants during March 7-9, 2014. 

Publications

a) Research Bulletins

b) Folders/leaflets (In Marathi)

c) Booklets (In Marathi)

Contact Information

Dr. Rajendra N. Katkar
Scientist Incharge and Professor
AICRP on Micro and Secondary Nutrients and Pollutant Elements in Soils and Plants.
Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth,
Akola – 444 104 (Maharashtra).
Phone: (+91) – (0724) 800010
Fax : (+91) – (0724) 2258419
Email: micro_soil@pdkv.ac.in